Belthangady: A bolero vehicle fell into 60 feet ravine when its driver lost control over it near Charmadi Ghat here on last night.

Three out of nine persons traveling in the Mahindra vehicle have been severely injured and hospitalized in a private hospital. The accident occurred when nine persons including four children were going from Koppal to Dharmasthala.

The injured have been identified as driver Shreedhar (38), Sharanappa (34), Tejaswini (9); all residents of Karatgi.

Travellers in another car, which came after the Bolero, observed the accident and rescued the trapped people. The vehicle belonging to Mundaji gram panchayat member Abdul Azeez turned as an ambulance for the injured. Hakeem Kajur, Basheer, Hameed Ujire and Umar Mundaje, who were also traveling with Abdul Azeez, moved accident victims out of the vehicle with the help of a rope and escorted them to hospital.

The Bolero vehicle is wholly damaged after falling in 60 feet gorge.

Dharmasthala police have registered a case, and the investigation is on.

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Udupi: Udupi City Police have arrested two persons, including a woman, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of property tax funds belonging to the Udupi Municipal Council.

The accused have been identified as Shalini, who was working as a tax consultant outside the municipal office, and Ganesh, a bank employee.

According to police, Anand Suvarna had paid Rs 34,730 towards 12 years of property tax for his building in Kalmadi to Shalini on October 16, 2025. She reportedly issued him a receipt acknowledging the payment.

However, when Suvarna recently checked the status of the payment on the property tax portal, he found that the amount had not been credited and was still shown as pending. He then brought the matter to the notice of the Municipal Commissioner, who verified that the payment had not been recorded.

During questioning, Shalini allegedly admitted to the lapse. On February 16, 2026, she generated a new challan in Suvarna’s name and paid Rs 35,213 towards the dues.

Police said a case has been registered at the Udupi City Police Station against the accused for allegedly misappropriating tax money and defrauding the government by affixing the seal of Union Bank on the challan without remitting the amount initially received from the taxpayer.

Further investigation is under way.